I am called Black, I longed for my dearest Shekure for twelve years;I, Shekure, not quite sure what was I doing in this story; I amOn-a-high version:

I am called Black, I longed for my dearest Shekure for twelve years;I, Shekure, not quite sure what was I doing in this story; I am called Butterfly, I was the one who drew the Death and Mia thought I was the murderer;I am called Stork, I was the one who drew the Tree and Butterfly always envy me as I was more talented without the help from our master;I am called Olive, I was the one who rendered the Satan and drew the exquisite horse;I am your beloved uncle, I was preparing a book for our Refuge of the World, Our Glorious Sultan before being murdered by one of my apprentice;It is I, Master Osman, I wished to follow the path of Master Bihzad who blinded himself with a needle;I am Esther, my eyes were eternally at the windows and my ears were eternally to the ground;I am a corpse, I was Elegant Effendi before being murdered by a fellow painter;I am Mia, I read this book from page 1 to 508 whilst crawling and bleeding to death. So please would someone explain wth is this book about? Jackie Chan: Who am I?

Sober version:

Interesting story regarding Istanbul in the 16th century. One day I'll visit the amazing Blue Mosque that a good friend of mine, Eddie, always talk about. But seriously, though this book is amazing I can't get into it. Totally not my rocknrolla thing.

***

one of the bule put this book on my desk, got no idea which one though they pointed their fingers to each other lol...more

It was really hard for me to understand that most could not differ human as human with a rel'Well, pardon me, I'm against morons, not God!'(page. 228)

It was really hard for me to understand that most could not differ human as human with a religion as beliefs. What makes they couldn't understand that? To see that such a different thing are those two?

Vibi was harassed, verbally abused, belittled, even received death threats for saying what he has seen that he believes were not right. He's telling the truth from his perspective and some people just jump in, a knee-jerk reaction, pointing fingers at him and saying words to him.

I remember Agustinus Wibowo in one of his Garis Batas's chapter shared to his readers how some of the Chinese-Indonesian have dream of going home to their motherland China. But when they're doing everything to go there, they're not welcomed at least not as they expected.

It seems to me, those who abused Vibi, believe that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is their dream country. The perfect one, compared to their Indonesia nowdays probably. How pitiful. Just because there's where the religion was born, it doesn't mean all of them are angelic human. Human is human with all their flaws and their own conducts.

Just look beyond the shiny religion lights for once. And don't judge people from their religion but from their conducts. ...more

Let's talk about virginity. Some, well most would say, to the hell with virginity this is no 18th century, yet it is still a matter for few. This bookLet's talk about virginity. Some, well most would say, to the hell with virginity this is no 18th century, yet it is still a matter for few. This book put virginity as a delicate subject, delivered by four young women with different social backgrounds.

It tries to reflect that, being three Javanese and one Indonesian-Chinese, they're not only dealing with deep-rooted traditions regarding the virginity but also being a woman as well. Not many women, I'm talking about Indonesian specifically, have the luxury to chose or to decide when, how, where and whom she'd lose her virginity with.

The four young women here remind me to the classic archetypes of women which could be extracted from Coelho's The Witch of Portobello,

Gendhing reminds me to the Virgin (not the sexual virgin), the one who searches springs from from her complete independence, and everything she learns is the fruit of her ability to face challenges alone. She denies the option to put her virginity on a golden tray as an offering for the person who has the power to release her and her family from their problem.

Ranting is the Martyr, who finds her way to self-knowledge through pain, surrender, and suffering. She sacrifice herself for a marriage, included in a polygamy practice, to save the precious life of one she loves most and decides its her body she has sacrifice but not her soul.

Tawangsri is the Saint, who finds her true reason for living in unconditional love and in her ability to give without asking anything in return. She loves Jenggala, and he loves her back yet she awares that for the moment someone else requires his limitless love more than she does. But at the same time she's perfectly fit into the Bitch type (this one left out by Coelho btw as spotted by a dear friend of mine in this review), whose search comes from her independence and aggression in pursuing her spiritual path. She fights for her cause with no care about the common opinion. She expressed herself freely but sacrifices those who condemn and judge her. Tawangsri would be the one to decide when she'd lose her virginity and with whom. My heroine.

I couldn't yet decide whether Zhang Mey fits the Witch archtype, who justifies her existence by going in search of complete and limitless pleasure, as she also fits one of the women types introduced by the author (the queen, who is smart and wise to lead her people; the goddess, who is beautiful and bless others with happiness; and the warrior lady, who is strong and loyal). Zhang Mey with no doubt would search complete and limitless pleasure yet at the same time she would also fight all the demons that tried to close her path to the one she loves although at the end there's always a possibility she'd lose the war. She's definitely a warrior lady.

And me, I'd be the woman from the Greek line. The descendant of Athena, whom Zeus had plucked from his own brain, and I would never missed a chance to remind men that I and those from this line were sprung from the head of god and had nothing to do with men's insides or with their damnation.

And I solemnly think this book is about obsession, which has a shallow and fragile border with insaniI think life's an irrational obsession.Sean Penn

And I solemnly think this book is about obsession, which has a shallow and fragile border with insanity. A man with disturbed upbringings, John Gilkey, sets the world to his own rules of fairness and rights. Whatever impacts his conducts may have caused to others would never bother him, or he simply pretends not to. And somehow whilst reading this magnificent journal, I can't divert my mind from Carlos María Domínguez's The Paper House.

Prior reading the book, I'll buy book randomly and mostly ended up disappointed -although of course there's a chance of a gem to dozens of craps. But then somehow, slowly but sure, I'm forging my path to be a bibliophile.

Ever since the encounter with Gabriel García Márquez's Memories My Melancholy Whore, I listed all his books into the so-called a wishlist and stockpiling them one by one: - The second in the collection would be two copies of Love in the Time of Cholera -the Vintage 2007 edition is somewhere out there and Pra sent me another 2003 Vintage edition. - Aldo one night gave me the Indonesian edition of Clandestine in Chile -I might bring this for the coming up trip.- I got Of Love and Other Demons from Ronny, along with one Llosa's book. - Gieb and Roos bought the Indonesian copy of the Bon Voyage Mr. President and Other Stories for me.- When I went to Malang for an annual homecoming hehe, I found -well actually bought it unlike Gilkey's term of 'found'- the 2006 Harper Perennial's edition of The Autumn of the Patriarch. - Around November 2009 Grace, my sister, gave me three vouchers and I used them to buy 2007 Penguin edition of One Hundred Years of Solitude and News of Kidnapping -I extremely fall in love with the edition's cover designs. - Then Panda bought me the Indonesian version of Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor a swap for Goenawan Mohamad's Demokrasi dan Kekecewaan.- The latest addition would be the old Indonesian edition of One Hundred of Solitude published by Benteng (note: long before Bentang Pustaka published their own edition I reckon).

As you can witness, there are more to be added -not just Gabo's but books by Saramago, Allende, Llosa, Budi Darma, Shusaku Endo, Neil Gaiman, and more- but I would not push myself off the limits as I believe when the time is right I'll persuade them one by one and at the end of the rainbow they're all would be mine.

And I wouldn't care whether they're first edition, rare or simply brand new as what I like to do is to have and to read them so one day I can recite my story finding all these books to my children and grandchildren. And they would do the same to theirs. A family heritage, the books and the story that comes along with them. Like Domínguez quoted in his book:

"To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collections of books."

I'll build my life with books that represent my soul within their stories no matter in what shapes or genre they are: memoirs, biography, novels, graphic novels, essays, journals, short stories etc.

Warning: next writing is written under the state of cracking emotion. Any confusions and flaws it affects should not be taken for granted.

And it's notWarning: next writing is written under the state of cracking emotion. Any confusions and flaws it affects should not be taken for granted.

And it's not a review!

What is so special about football, that it pains so much when you lost and taking you so high when matches are won. And it kills you to see your beloved club is brought down by ignorant fools who know nothing about the game of passion.

Right now, when I'm writing this, I was torn in two out of madness. The real me is always a Blue and that's why I easily get attached to Arema. I was raised in various cities, due to my father's dedication to serve the church, and never really had a city or town to call home. Until I went to Malang, East Java. I love the city, found best friends who I proudly nicknamed soulmates, got myself an adopted family, speak the language as if I was born to do that, and to know Arema who embodies everything I wished from football.

Arema Indonesia just won the Indonesian Super League 2009/2010 season. I should be happy, well the Blue me wants to dance all nights and telling the world, 'Hey look here, at this amazing club, practically a self-funded club without begging from the regional state's budget and collectively raised fund for the team's operational vehicles! Watch this Real Madrid, we the fans are the real Arema the blood of this club, not like the plasticos you're signing with multi-million euros but for which major thropy? Did you see this Chelsea? No Abramovich with his magic wand to exploit wells and cashing money as if they were leaves throughout the fall season!'

But the other me, Ophelia, is always a Red. I still remember the day when we're looking at a group of people holding scarfs up, singing their hearts out as if there's no tomorrow. That was the first time we saw the Kop sang You'll Never Walk Alone, from a TV half the world away and it lasted only for few seconds. What amazed us most was that the team was lost! Our first encounter with Liverpool FC who embodies everything I know about football.

Liverpool FC won trophies, has a long history with a list of great managers and players, and superb fans who always be there not only in great nights but also in the lows when everything shattered into pieces, notably Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies. Then two businessmen who aware of nothing regarding the history nor understand the passion that binds the club to the fans came along with their blatant lies.

Since their arrival, they're bleeding the club dry. £110,000 That's how much interest payments must be paid -per day- for the debts piled by the owners. £50.3M has been spent on cost associated to the 'new stadium' but no sign of it whatsoever. £51.5M is the amount of debt in a year to July 2009, and as of July 31 2009 the total debt of LFC' parent company -Kop Football Holdings- were £472.5M. Data taken from this Well Red Magazine edition

And as the final blow, Rafael Benitez left the club by mutual consent. Mutual consent my a**! The board more likely showing him the door without goodbye nor thank you. The great gaffer since Shankly and Paisley is finally worn down by the infights or civil war according to Oliver Kay, a respected football journalist. Must read piece from Olie Kay

Next Jose Mourinho wants Stevie G to join him at Real Madrid, Inter piling cash for Fernando Torres, Chelsea wants Benayoun and Barcelona just needs to call up Mascherano's agent. I don't know why Aurelio leaves the club, probably he didn't want to be associated with LFC with such devastated state anymore.

So who do we have left? Only Jamie Carragher, who sharply stated, "If anyone doesn't want to be here, no problem. No-one is bigger than Liverpool Football Club. People always talk about players leaving and saying 'this is the end of Liverpool'. No chance. Better players than the ones we have now have left and we have replaced them."

No doubt every club wants a team of Carra, as the Kop song said:We all dream of a team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers

Number one is Carragher Number two is Carragher Number three is Carragher Number four is Carragher......

We all dream of a team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers

Number five is Carragher Number six is Carragher Number seven is Carragher Number eight is Carragher......

We all dream of a team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers

Number nine is Carragher Number ten is Carragher Number eleven is Carragher Number twelve is Carragher......

We all dream of a team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers A team of Carraghers

Number thirteen is Carragher Number fourteen is Carragher Number fifteen is Carragher Number twenty-three is Carragher......

Thank you for Istanbul 2005Thank you for FA Cup 2006Thank you for Camp Nou CL 2006/2007Thank you for Giuseppe Meazza CL 2007/2008Thank you for trashing Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield CL 2008/2009Thank you for Old Trafford 2008/2009Nunca Caminarás Solo, Rafa...more

Interesting point of view regarding one of powerful and important leaders in the world. I can't stop myself creating these three scenarios of MahmoudInteresting point of view regarding one of powerful and important leaders in the world. I can't stop myself creating these three scenarios of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Barrack Obama

1# MTV Celebrity Deathmatch: Ahmadinejad vs Obama

This MTV show as described in wikipedia was a claymation parody television show that pits celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the loser's gruesome death. It is known for its excessive amount of blood used in every match and exaggerated physical injuries (e.g., one person pulls off a participant's foot, living through decapitations, impalements, etc.).

So let's imagine these two presidents put aside their Harvard and IUST (Iran University of Science and Technology) educations, intellectual backgrounds, even table manners etc and just gone savage to each other. Ahmadinejad stuck the fork into Obama's left eye and in return Obama cut off his counterpart's tongue. Bloody show indeed!

2# ESPN European League: Which League is the Best Ahmadinejad - Obama

Ahmadinejad represents Lega Calcio Serie A. Think of this, the Syah was Juventus, who rules the league for decades without any serious contenders apart of AC Milan and Internazionale. But then it was revealed that their success because their involvement in Serie A match fixing scandal which resulted its relegation to Serie B.

Just like Serie A that is struggling to bring back the fame and the spotlight to their grounds, Ahmadinejad is fighting hard to eradicate the corruptions whilst standing against all the prejudices and myth about what so-called nuclear weapon from the west. It's quite amusing to know United States once supported Saddam in Iraq - Iran war but then had him toppled and beheaded!

Meanwhile, Obama represents Primera Division of Spanish League known as La Liga. Throughout its history, especially since 1950s, only two clubs mark their domination: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona who represent the Republic and Democrat parties.

3# Utopia in Foreign Diplomacy: Ahmadinejad X Obama

Ahmadinejad is a controversial figure, but so does Obama. It may be an utopia, because both need to overcome such obstacles just to set a dialogue. But imagine if these two agreed to have one, Obama will get his Secret Service working their ass off to ensure everything is ready. Why we have to engage in a war when we can sit down and talk about what's the best for all? Is it merely a dream?

Travel:–verb (used without object)1. to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey: to travel for pleasure.2Travel:–verb (used without object)1. to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey: to travel for pleasure.2. to move or go from one place or point to another.3. to proceed or advance in any way.

But however, by reading this book -a collection of 12 travelling notes with remarkable approaches-, travelling will never ever again merely as an action to go from one place to another with whatever means. It is what you'd get, you'd experience, and lessons that you'd might learn. A journey or journeys which will enrich the soul.

Masalahnya hanya satu, anak ini kesulitan untuk menentukan pilihannya saat ditanya:M : Yo mate I've checked several places but it would be easier if you narrowed down your choicesE : Right, that makes sense. What are they?M : What you do want? Oceanic and beaches, higher ground and landscapes, or cultural?E : Oh damn, I want all of them!!M : Boo hoo you only have three months, you can't have all of them!E : What do I have to do to get them all?M : You have to stay in Indonesia at least a year to get them all, well almost all of thoseE : Ya know it actually sounds good. Living there for a year you know *grin*M : Eh?????...more

"Where there are women, there is civilisation ..."- Paulina Rodriguez de Santa Cruz

What do you remember about your first love? Some said that first lo"Where there are women, there is civilisation ..."- Paulina Rodriguez de Santa Cruz

What do you remember about your first love? Some said that first love last forever, do you agree? First love encouraged Eliza to leave her family, experienced a near-death journey from Valparaiso to the new world, California, chasing Joaquín Andieta's shadow fearlessly. Through the journey she realised that she then has the freedom beyond anything she imagined before, and that was something precious for any woman.

As a female author, Isabel Allende surely has charm in inventing amazing female characters. I met Eva Luna a while ago, now I was honoured to meet Eliza, Paulina, and Rose Sommers. Even Lin and her 'golden lilies' feet was such a strong character that blew fresh air to the story.

What's best in portraying the new world than this amazing story? The gold fever opened new chances for a new beginning, but at what cost? American natives were hunted down like animals, derived from their own land, in the name of greed and certain race supremacy. No laws protecting the immigrants, no matter how hard they're working and contributed to the California's economic stabily, it was nothing because of their skin colours.

I think I have to agree with a friend when he said, nobody wrote, or can write, or will write, like Allende.

I should not even dare to write a review about this book. It's crazy, emotionally challenging, and able to bring you down and up, loving and hating thI should not even dare to write a review about this book. It's crazy, emotionally challenging, and able to bring you down and up, loving and hating the protagonist, Saleem Sinai, at the same time. But by recounting his story, no not just recount but Saleem did take me to India, to watch and experience the frenzy of the Independence, to the Midnight Children, to a bloody separation of Pakistan, to a 'meat versus vegetable' war which actually the Bangladesh separation from Pakistan. You know as a reader, I couldn't ask for more. But apparently as a writer Salman Rushdie wants to give more that any reader would expect from him.

Yes Indian or Pakistani or Bangladesh political unrests are not something new, but do we really understand what is going on? I got bits from here and there, mostly from my Indian friends, but somehow now I'm learning that there are more to the fragile issue. The famous name of Gandhi and the Nehru, it looks like someone (read: a family or a clan) has an extra burden on her shoulder, or I'm the only one who think of it as a burden? But hey look politic is merely a game, at least for most politicians. If you're in power then you do anything necessary to keep that power, so when you're not in power you do anything necessary to takeover the power. And on and on and on. And by playing the game these politicians then forget about the people whose interests are the one they should fight for.

And so who can provide insights to all these Independence, Separations, State of Emergency situations, class and religious clashes, as well as political vulnerability than the two mightiest Midnight Children of all, Saleem and Shiva, who were cheated since born which occured at the stroke of midnight the very moment of India's Independence. Name-tags are switched so that the heir of a Moslem and wealthy family was raised in poverty as a Hindu whilst the son of a Hindu fortuneteller/singer took his twin-not-really-a-twin place to be raised as a Kashmiri Prince of whom the Indian first Prime Minister wrote a personal letter regarding his birth.

Oh how one wishes she could write her stories the way Salman Rushdie reflected his nation in such masterpiece like this Midnight Children.

I'm asking myself, and keep looking at the introduction, 'was this book really published in 17th century?' I'm practically astounded and enjoy every bI'm asking myself, and keep looking at the introduction, 'was this book really published in 17th century?' I'm practically astounded and enjoy every bits of it.

Pathetic people always amuse me. I'd rather have a personal conversation with my God than showing off to other people that I go to church on regular basis. Dude I know some people who go to church to find a hubby/wife/bf/gf!

The first thing I looked up when I read this book is what the heck is panic attack. I know I panicked when I couldn't find my glasses, when I forgot wThe first thing I looked up when I read this book is what the heck is panic attack. I know I panicked when I couldn't find my glasses, when I forgot where I put my debit card, or worst when my family begin the inquiries when will I get married and have children! -oh father I know you want grandchildren but didn't you aware that milk and school fees are only available for the riches in this country?

Anyway as usual I looked up to wikipedia and here's what I found, Panic attacks are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers. Although these episodes may appear random, they are a subset of an evolutionary response commonly referred to as fight or flight that occur out of context. This response floods the body with hormones, particularly epinephrine (adrenaline), that aid it in defending against harm. Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person's life. According to the American Psychological Association the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

To be honest I still did not get it, until I read the next line. Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves. ahhhh alright now I get it!

So this sickness has brought the bride cancelled her wedding few days before the day. I can imagine how devastated it was for Franz, the groom. And in this moment there's always someone who will say, 'Dudeeee there's something beautiful awaits you at the end of the road, you'll be thankful once you realised it!' But I personally think that Franz was in a rollercoaster ride and stucked in a nightmare of unable to stop the darn machine [I'll never ride that hell of machine again I swear!:].

I couldn't stop comparing this memoir with Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea. Oh how I wished Greg wrote his own memoir instead of having David Relin. Franz relates us to every emotion rollercoaster he had. When he's devastated we know exactly how much his heart was shattered. When he said he loves United States of America to the American backpackers that cursing their own country, you know he means it[as you expected from a Republican:]. When a six year old boy in Vietnam squeezed his penis, I can tell the pain [not that I have one, but a friend took all effort to describe it and even more but let's not talk about it here:]. Or as several Malawian children accompanied him when he had a short-distance run, hugged his legs and then left him crying alone in the road. He's crying for his Africa.

Kurt is the reason this honeymoon like a lively football match. There's drama, tension, pride and tears. I think Franz will never blessed the day Annie cancelled their wedding, but at least he can have his little brother again and found a new best friend within the same guy. The one who accompanied him throughout the honeymoon, who totally ignored his brother's ex-fiance that had a lunch with her husband [sc**w her!:] Franz loves him for that, I'll give my first born! I really can't wait for their next journey book, for LaRue ... cheers!

Truth is I find it really awkward to find myself in a published book. I meant, well, reading yourself in someone's book is like watching yourself in aTruth is I find it really awkward to find myself in a published book. I meant, well, reading yourself in someone's book is like watching yourself in a film right? I wonder if Johnny Depp ever feels something similar.

With Windy every trips, no matter how short it was, would be an adventure.

I remember once we decided to go to several places with local transportation instead of her motorcycle. When we're done it was almost 9 pm and to get home we must catch three different routes public transportation, and in Malang city some transportation would not operate till that late. The final thing of the journey was we must pass a wooden bridge which has no light whatsoever and has something spooky about it. So instead of walking, we ran through the bridge and rice fields and once we're in the house, we couldn't stop laughing and cursing our silliness. 'Next time no matter what, we'll use the bike!' Windy said still trying to catch her breath.

Some other time, we were travelling to Green Canyon and Pangandaran Beach in West Java. Windy has some issues with beaches and sea, but that did not mean she wouldn't pose any time I got my camera on. Whilst we're on Green Canyon, accompanied by three local guides, we're doing some body-rafting, climbing stone walls as alternative way to the huge streams (which was not possible to get through by body-rafting) or jumped from a 3 metre high stone to the river (I just jumped yet Windy got us all worried as she kept going forth and back before she finally jumped).

They might be nothing special to you, but for me they are precious because I did it with some close friends and just having fun. You don't have to go abroad to make your journeys something special. Any trip is a journey. Forget about all technical things of having a journey. Just go and meet up interesting people throughout the journeys.

I am lucky that I can travel with Windy to some places, and I hope one day you can travel with her too. I DARE you to challenge her for a trip, ask her to travel together, she's definitely excited enough to go anywhere in this world.

An ultimate pleasure to read. The Beef Stew Club probably is the most wicked and disturbed not-so-secret society in the world. Each of the peculiar meAn ultimate pleasure to read. The Beef Stew Club probably is the most wicked and disturbed not-so-secret society in the world. Each of the peculiar members possessed the very same passion, which is to enjoy the best meals specifically served by the mysterious Lucídio.

The mysterious Chef however had dragged the Club back from the brink, although with one sexist requirement: Don't bring the women to the supper! and here is where I couldn't resist to quote the bold theory Ramos had created under cognac's influence:

"All women come from one of two different lines, the Judeo-Christian line and the Greek. Those from the Judeo-Christianline were descended from Eve, whom God had made from Adam's rib in order to serve man, temp him and accompany him in his fall and ruin. Those from the Greek line were descended from Athena, whom Zeus had plucked from his own brain, and those women never missed a chance to remind men that they were sprung from the head of god and had nothing to do with men's insides or with their damnation."

What are you expecting other than a spiritual journey from this book? Well it is his journey across Spain's Road in order to find himself. Something tWhat are you expecting other than a spiritual journey from this book? Well it is his journey across Spain's Road in order to find himself. Something that I've heard and seen in a movie [Darjeling Limited:] but I supposed I haven't had the chance to conduct it. Or I might have lacked a courage to begin it!

Of all the exercises he introduces, the Speed Exercise dumbfounded me. The minute I read the exercise, it reminds me to the regular road I have anytime I go and back from work. There's one old man, he's about 50 to 60 years old and his hair is turning white, sitting in front one of the house. Every morning and evening I found him exactly at the same bench, sometimes with his bycicle beside him. It's like having a father checking that his little daughter goes to work and back home safely and sound.

His quest of finding the sword is resembling our quests of finding what is lacking in our live actually. Are we looking for perfect life, which I think is an absurd concept, or finding out how to make it perfect?!

"To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collections of books."

To be honest I have never ever thinking of something like t"To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collections of books."

To be honest I have never ever thinking of something like that. Prior reading this book, as a book lover I just buy and read books that interest me or recommended by fellow readers. Domínguez provides a different insight to the literary world, that books can turn into something more than just a book. Just as human, books possess a life on it's own too.

Reading this book is like consulting a doctor, letting him (Domínguez) to diagnose my physical complaints. And based on the prognosis, I am one of those so-called Common Readers. I spied on friends' libraries, hoping to find books that I want to read but do not have, or simply knowing books that they devoured. However recently I'm dreaming to begin my quest as a Bibliophile, book lovers who throughout their life have built up important libraries. Capable of spending a considerable amount of money for books but concerned only to study and understand them.

And it's inevitable to mention the Collectors. Their ultimate aim is to amass rare editions even though they never open them except to look at the pages, in the same way for example, people contemplate a beautiful object, a rare piece. This type reminds me to antique collectors who dare to spend a lot of money or to travel around the world looking for one Victorian piece.

However it did not end there. As Common Readers can step a little further to be a Bibliophile or Collector, of course it depends on the occasion and their desires, mentally book lovers can also turn into a Compulsive Reader. They spend all the money to buy books, or to do anything to provide space for the books - sells the car so the garage can accommodate the books for example. It is unbearable for them to put two authors who had quarrelled on the same shelf, or to build a house of paper, literally, book by book to replace the bricks.~oph

It probably sounds a bit sad that I actually give this book to myself as a Christmas present lol but I sometimes tend to be quite melancholy around ChIt probably sounds a bit sad that I actually give this book to myself as a Christmas present lol but I sometimes tend to be quite melancholy around Christmas,

First, I couldn't go home as every resources are reserved for my sister's wedding next FebruarySecond, not going home means I couldn't ask mum to cook all her special dishes for me oh especially those sour-sweet shrimps oh yummyThree, Christmas means baking cookies for the whole family oh yeah I can bake cookies hehe but maybe this time I won't bake or get any cookies package from homeFour, some people don't realise that like Claire, they are losing their identities, and simple things like cooking or get out from your comfort zone will renew the souls within.

My name is Ophelia. But there's something else about me that I'd like you to know. You see there's a story why I exist, and I'm not talkingHi there,

My name is Ophelia. But there's something else about me that I'd like you to know. You see there's a story why I exist, and I'm not talking about natural birth here. Mia's too shy to tell you this story. And since I'm the bitch one, I guess it's a pleasure hehe

Mia was born in a modest family, I didn't say her family is economically challenged because they're not but hey how much do you think a Protestant priest earns? Certainly not that much. The fact that her father decided to serve in nearly isolated regions meant she and her family were isolated from schools as well and her parents then sent her to live with an aunt.

She's the eldest in her own family, but the youngest in her auntie's. She's quite spoiled by her uncle and cousins and when she's back to her family she felt like a stranger. And it's not until the adolescent that she's aware of burdens as a Priest' daughter.

If you're a Priest' daughter:

- Thou shall attend the church' service every Sunday no matter what values you take regarding your personal relationship with God.- You were expected to recognise every church elders and gives salute as you saw them across the street. - Thou shall not wear anything 'inappropriate' any time you're in the public (Mia once told it's not appropriate for a Priest' daughter to wear a short though she was actually buying eggs and vegetables for lunch omg).- Thou shall be a 'good' girl, never swearing at people, always smiling and oh darn it .. basically you're expected to be an Angel!- Thou shall not skip classes or else your teachers will swiftly notify your Priest father.- Thou shall not inquire anything that related to sexuality, especially when one of your distance cousin who is a gay expelled from the Church because of his sexual preference.- Thou shall not put excessive make up or you'll end up gossiped by the whole community as a 'mischief daughter'.

I guess all those burdens were too much for the overprotected and sweety Mia. That's when I, Ophelia, was born. Everything she's limited into, I fought no boundaries. Don't get me wrong, she's aware of my existence and she accepted me long long time ago. Why you think she's comfortable with her physical body now? It's because of me .. ME!!

Schizophrenia, split personality, unconscious mind. You name it. You can spend lots of money to consult psychologist, psychiatric, Priests, Monks, Muslim Clerics and others but I believe there are more than one soul in each body. The bad and the good. The bitch the angel. The child the adult. Mia accepted me, you dare to accept your other half?

I love it. But if you're wondering why I gave it three stars. Merely because I read Little Princess and the Secret Garden first. Somehow, Burnett's woI love it. But if you're wondering why I gave it three stars. Merely because I read Little Princess and the Secret Garden first. Somehow, Burnett's works have a pattern of their own and you'd know at the end everything will be alright. A happy ending. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Let me tell you one story my dear fellow readers. A story about a young girl who is able to portray her life as an immigrant in the most simple way. ILet me tell you one story my dear fellow readers. A story about a young girl who is able to portray her life as an immigrant in the most simple way. It's not an easy life I assume but the way she portrays it in simple descrptions cause a havoc in my brain. Born as a girl in the society where strong women are not acceptable, she inherites her great-grandmother's name but she refuses to inherite the defeat her great-grandmother had suffered. She's young, so are her little sister and her two young girlfriends and somehow the quite crowded neighbourhood is not a safe place for them. Their ethnicity, their skin colour, their customs, somehow put them deeper in a troublesome world.

It begins with a house, a house on a Mango Street, although it's not her family first house. She then introduce us to her family members, her friends, the neigbourhood and the people who live there. You can identify the problems they have in the neighbourhood from her writings, the likes of a mother with lots of children to take care -alone- as the father left without a word. Of another mother who prefers ironing the shirts rather than saving her daughter who is with boys that want to take advantages on her. Or when a guy, drunkdard or not, molested her when she's waiting for her best friend.

It ends with a house too, a house of her own away from the Mango Street. Somehow she manages to get away from that neighbourhood with her books and her writings. She let homeless people to come in, offer them the attic and ask them to stay, because she knows how it is to be without a house.

Most will remember him for his most famous acts as a lover-boy, notably in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) andWhat do I know about Shah Rukh Khan?

Most will remember him for his most famous acts as a lover-boy, notably in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, but I would never forget the chills that made me shivers when I watched him in Darr (Fear) as a disturbed young man, an obsessive stalker, who played the game of 'she loves me, she loves me not' whilst walking on the ledge of a tall building. Or I'd never forget how in Asoka he killed his half-brother to be the emperor and then embarked a ruthless territorial expansion across India.

However, it seems that most of his attempts to get out of his lover-boy status the likes of Raj-Rahul (DDLJ and KKHH respectively) were considered a failure as audience around the world loved him too much to let him be anyone else but those characters. Pity, as SRK himself said,

"Cinema is a mishran (mixture) of Laksmi (the goddess of wealth) and Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge). I've always gone for Saraswati and Laksmi has followed. I may be stubborn and an idiot, but it works for me. I know this is business but I will always dole out art."

Old Wrinkly's (Hiccup grandfather on his mother's side) Cures for Common Ilnesses:

- Cold: Stuff a small carrot up each nostril to stop a running nose.Old Wrinkly's (Hiccup grandfather on his mother's side) Cures for Common Ilnesses:

- Cold: Stuff a small carrot up each nostril to stop a running nose. Remember to breathe through MOUTH.

- Upset Stomach: Drink a cupful of live earwigs. The insects will the germs in your small intestine and eat them. Probably.

- Chicken Pox: Point the spots with Old Wrinkly's soothing lotion of Runny Seagull Poo. This will relieve the itching. It will also cause your friends to stay away from you, thus protecting them from infection.

- Headache with Temperature: Old Wrinkly's tasty medicine of sheep mucus and dead flies wrapped in cobwebs will soon have the patient bouncing out of bed.

- A Virus: Pray to Thor. Nobody knows what to do with a virus^.

^Interestingly 1,500 years later, medical science has advanced to such an extent that we STILL don't know what to do with a virus.

Stoick the Vast to Fishleg:'FISHEGGS, I have misjudged YOU. Yes I have. A Chief has to be big enough to admit it when he is wrong. You are a little weirdo, it is true, but you are a LOYAL little weirdo, and one day when my son is Chief I have a felling he will need some loyal people about him.'

Btw Hiccup now has two arch-enemies: Alvin the Treacherous and Norbert the Nutjob (the Hysterics Chief whose buttocks was shot by Hiccup during the ski-went-wrong-expedition) hehe...more

I was almost ten years old when I rejoined my family. My younger sister was an independent one, well she took over the first bThe Lives of the Sisters

I was almost ten years old when I rejoined my family. My younger sister was an independent one, well she took over the first born's role for years, whilst I dependant to almost everyone around me.

I was struggling to adapt my own family's routine. I love chocolate milk, my sister said plain. I had had to be at home at 1.30 pm, she had the freedom to do anything she wanted to after school.

When I was an innocent child -ehem-,I worried a lot when my school's uniform was not readyI worried when I couldn't find my socksI worried when Bruno, my Golden Retriever old dog, ate any paper money he saw in the house (I wonder if the paper they used tasted that good)I worried a lot when my friends talked to each other but not to meI worried when my father and mother didn't talk for the whole day (my father watched some World Cup games with his friends and went home in the morning)I was scared to death when I crashed my father's brand new motorcycleWhen I accidentally freed one of my father's exotic birds from the cage, I considered the option to be a nunI cried a lot when my other dog, Blacky, was missing and it was raining outside (it turned out he couldn't even move because of a fever and I gave him Vicks Formula 44, best syrup for the family hehe)I worried what would my classmates say about my shorty hairstyleI worried when my first of many pimples began to decorating my faceand so onand so on

Basically I worried about thousands things in my life when I was a child. Don't we all do? And it's psychologically great to have a Worry Tree near us in any shapes, a painting or a bonsai, to help us dealing with all kind of worries. It's quite similar to have someone to talk to about our problems and sort out the best way to deal with them.

the way the little scout looking at the world around her is really interesting. she is really lucky to have atticus as a father, jem as a brother, miss maudie as a friend and cal to look after her.

their life indeed changed when atticus decided to present a black inmate, however i would not prefer other than the ending that lee has chosen. you know their lives would never be the same again, but you also know that they are all be alright.

maybe it has something to do with lee has grown up together with truman capote who wrote 'in cold blood', or maybe not. but i think they have a similar style in writing. a rather flat plot in the beginning and the way we look at the story from the characters' perspectives....more